stephen c. foster - poems -

Classic Poetry Series

Stephen C. Foster- poems -

Publication Date:2004

Publisher:Poemhunter.com - The World's Poetry Archive

Stephen C. Foster(1826-1864)

1www.PoemHunter.com - The World's Poetry Archive

Beautiful Dreamer Serenade 1 Beautiful dreamer, wake unto me,2 Starlight and dewdrops are waiting for thee;3 Sounds of the rude world heard in the day,4 Lull'd by the moonlight have all pass'd a way! 5 Beautiful dreamer, queen of my song,6 List while I woo thee with soft melody;7 Gone are the cares of life's busy throng, --8 Beautiful dreamer, awake unto me!9 Beautiful dreamer awake unto me! 10 Beautiful dreamer, out on the sea11 Mermaids are chaunting the wild lorelie;12 Over the streamlet vapors are borne,13 Waiting to fade at the bright coming morn. 14 Beautiful dreamer, beam on my heart,15 E'en as the morn on the streamlet and sea;16 Then will all clouds of sorrow depart, --17 Beautiful dreamer, awake unto me!18 Beautiful dreamer, awake unto me! Stephen C. Foster


Camptown Races De Camptown ladies sing dis song -- Doo-dah! doo-dah!De Camptown racetrack five miles long -- Oh! doo-dah day!I come down dah wid my hat caved in -- Doo-dah! doo-dah!I go back home wid a pocket full of tin -- Oh! doo-dah day! Chorus Gwine to run all night! Gwine to run all day!I'll bet my money on de bob-tail nag -- Somebody bet on de bay! De long tail filly and de big black hoss -- Doo-dah! doo-dah!Dey fly de track and dey both cut across -- Oh! doo-dah day!De blind hoss sticken in a big mud hole -- Doo-dah! doo-dah!Can't touch bottom wid a ten foot pole -- Oh! doo-dah day! Chorus Old muley cow come on to de track -- Doo-dah! doo-dah!De bob-tail fling her ober his back -- Oh! doo-dah day!Den fly along like a rail-road car -- Doo-dah! doo-dah!Runnin' a race with a shootin' star -- Oh! doo-dah day! Chorus Seen dem flyin' on a ten mile heat -- Doo-dah! doo-dah!Round de race track, den repeat -- Oh! doo-dah day!I win my money on de bob-tail nag -- Doo-dah! doo-dah!I keep my money in an old tow-bag -- Oh! doo-dah day! Chorus Stephen C. Foster


Gentle Annie Thou wilt come no more, gentle Annie,Like a flower thy spirit did depart;Thou art gone, alas! like the manyThat have bloomed in the summer of my heart. Chorus Shall we nevermore behold thee;Never hear thy winning voice again --When the Springtime comes, gentle Annie,When the wild flowers are scattered o'er the plain? We have roamed and loved mid the bowersWhen thy downy cheeks were in their bloom;Now I stand alone mid the flowersWhile they mingle their perfumes o'er thy tomb. Chorus Ah! the hours grow sad while I ponderNear the silent spot where thou art laid,And my heart bows down when I wanderBy the streams and the meadows where we strayed. Chorus Stephen C. Foster


Gwine To Run All Night, Or De Camptown Races 1 De Camptown ladies sing dis song -- [Chorus] Doo-dah! doo-dah!2 [Solo] De Camp-town race-track five miles long -- [Chorus] Oh! doo-dahday!3 [Solo] I come down dah wid my hat caved in -- Doo-dah! doo-dah!4 I go back home wid a pocket full of tin -- [Chorus] Oh! doo-dah day! 5 Gwine to run all night!6 Gwine to run all day!7 I'll bet my money on de bob-tail nag --8 Somebody bet on de bay. 9 [Solo] De long tail filly and de big black hoss -- [Chorus] Doo-dah! doo-dah!10 [Solo] Dey fly de track and dey both cut across -- [Chorus] Oh! doo-dah-day!11 [Solo] De blind hoss sticken in a big mud hole -- [Chorus] Doo-dah! doo-dah!12 [Solo] Can't touch bottom wid a ten foot pole -- [Chorus] Oh! doo-dah-day! 13 Gwine to run all night!14 Gwine to run all day!15 I'll bet my money on de bob-tail nag --16 Somebody bet on de bay. 17 [Solo] Old muley cow come on to de track -- [Chorus] Doo-dah! doo-dah!18 [Solo] De bob-tail fling her ober his back -- [Chorus] Oh! doo-dah-day!19 [Solo] Den fly along like a rail-road car -- [Chorus] Doo-dah! doo-dah!20 [Solo] Runnin' a race wid a shootin' star -- [Chorus] Oh! doo-dah-day! 21 Gwine to run all night!22 Gwine to run all day!23 I'll bet my money on de bob-tail nag --24 Somebody bet on de bay. 25 See dem flyin' on a ten mile heat -- [Chorus] Doo-dah doo-dah!26 Round de race track, den repeat -- [Chorus] Oh! doo-dah-day!27 I win my money on de bob-tail nag -- [Chorus] Doo-dah! doo-dah!28 I keep my money in an old tow-bag -- [Chorus] Oh! doo-dah-day! 29 Gwine to run all night!


30 Gwine to run all day!31 I'll bet my money on de bob-tail nag --32 Somebody bet on de bay. Stephen C. Foster


Hard Times Come Again No More Let us pause in life's pleasures and count its many tears,While we all sup sorrow with the poor;There's a song that will linger forever in our ears;Oh, hard times come again no more. Chorus: 'Tis the song, the sigh of the weary,Hard times, hard times, come again no more,Many days you have lingered around my cabin door,Oh, hard times, come again no more. While we seek mirth and beauty and music light and gay,There are frail forms fainting at the door;Though their voices are silent, their pleading looks will sayOh, hard times come again no more. Chorus There's a pale drooping maiden who toils her life away,With a worn heart whose better days are o'er:Though her voice would be merry, 'tis sighing all the day,Oh, hard times come again no more. Chorus 'Tis a sigh that is wafted across the troubled wave,'Tis a wail that is heard upon the shore,'Tis a dirge that is murmured around the lowly grave,Oh, hard times come again no more. Chorus Stephen C. Foster


Jeanie With The Light Brown Hair 1 I dream of Jeanie with the light brown hair,2 Borne, like a vapor, on the summer air;3 I see her tripping where the bright streams play,4 Happy as the daisies that dance on her way.5 Many were the wild notes her merry voice would pour.6 Many were the blithe birds that warbled them o'er:7 Oh! I dream of Jeanie with the light brown hair,8 Floating, like a vapor, on the soft summer air. 9 I long for Jeanie with the daydawn smile,10 Radiant in gladness, warm with winning guile;11 I hear her melodies, like joys gone by,12 Sighing round my heart o'er the fond hopes that die: --13 Sighing like the night wind and sobbing like the rain, --14 Wailing for the lost one that comes not again:15 Oh! I long for Jeanie, and my heart bows low,16 Never more to find her where the bright waters flow. 17 I sigh for Jeanie, but her light form strayed18 Far from the fond hearts round her native glade;19 Her smiles have vanished and her sweet songs flown,20 Flitting like the dreams that have cheered us and gone.21 Now the nodding wild flowers may wither on the shore22 While her gentle fingers will cull them no more:23 Oh! I sigh for Jeanie with the light brown hair,24 Floating, like a vapor, on the soft summer air. Stephen C. Foster


Massa’s In De Cold Ground ROUND de meadows am a-ringingDe darkeys’ mournful song,While de mocking-bird am singing,Happy as de day am long.Where de ivy am a-creeping,O’er de grassy mound,Dere old massa am a-sleeping,Sleeping in de cold, cold ground. Chorus: Down in de corn-fieldHear dat mournful sound:All de darkeys am a-weeping,—Massa’s in de cold, cold ground. When de autumn leaves were falling,When de days were cold,’T was hard to hear old massa calling,Cayse he was so weak and old.Now de orange tree am bloomingOn de sandy shore,Now de summer days am coming,—Massa nebber calls no more. (Chorus) Massa make de darkeys love him,Cayse he was so kind;Now dey sadly weep above him,Mourning cayse he leave dem behind.I cannot work before to-morrow,Cayse de tear-drop flow;I try to drive away my sorrow,Pickin’ on de old banjo. (Chorus) Stephen C. Foster


My Old Kentucky Home, Good Night! 1 The sun shines bright in the old Kentucky home,2 'Tis summer, the darkies are gay,3 The corn top's ripe and the meadow's in the bloom4 While the birds make music all the day.5 The young folks roll on the little cabin floor,6 All merry, all happy and bright:7 By'n by Hard Times comes a knocking at the door,8 Then my old Kentucky Home, good night! 9 [Chorus] Weep no more, my lady, oh! weep no more to-day!10 We will sing one song11 For the old Kentucky Home,12 For the old Kentucky Home, far away. 13 [Solo] They hunt no more for the possum and the coon14 On the meadow, the hill and the shore,15 They sing no more by the glimmer of the moon,16 On the bench by the old cabin door.17 The day goes by like a shadow o'er the heart,18 With sorrow where all was delight:19 The time has come when the darkies have to part,20 Then my old Kentucky Home, good-night! 21 [Chorus] Weep no more, my lady, oh! weep no more to-day!22 We will sing one song23 For the old Kentucky Home,24 For the old Kentucky Home, far away. 25 [Solo] The head must bow and the back will have to bend,26 Wherever the darkey may go:27 A few more days, and the trouble all will end28 In the field where the sugar-canes grow.29 A few more days for to tote the weary load,30 No matter 'twill never be light,31 A few more days till we totter on the road,32 Then my old Kentucky Home, good-night! 33 [Chorus] Weep no more, my lady, oh! weep no more to-day!34 We will sing one song


35 For the old Kentucky Home,36 For the old Kentucky Home, far away. Stephen C. Foster


My Wife Is A Most Knowing Woman My wife is a most knowing woman,She always is finding me out,She never will hear explanationsBut instantly puts me to rout,There's no use to try and deceive her,If out with my friends night or day,In a most inconceivable manner,She tells where I've been right away,She says that I'm 'mean' and 'inhuman.'Oh! My wife is a most knowing woman. She would've been hung up for witchcraftIf she had lived sooner, I know,There's no hiding anything from her,She knows what I do -- where I go;And if I come in after midnightAnd say 'I have been to the lodge,'Oh, she says while she flies in a fury,'Now don't think to play such a dodge!It's all very fine, but won't do, man,'Oh, my wife is a most knowing woman. Not often I go out to dinnerAnd come home a little 'so so,'I try to creep up through the hall-way,As still as a mouse, on tip-toe,She's sure to be waiting up for meAnd then comes a nice little scene,'What, you tell me you're sober, you wretch you,Now don't think that I am so green!My life is quite worn out with you, man,'Oh, my wife is a most knowing woman! She knows me much better than I do,Her eyes are like those of a lynx,Though how she discovers my secretsIs a riddle would puzzle a sphynx,On fair days, when we go out walking,If ladies look at me askance,


In the most harmless way, I assure you,My wife gives me, oh! such a glance,And says 'all these insults you'll rue, man,'Oh, my wife is a most knowing woman. Yes, I must give all of my friends upIf I would live happy and quiet;One might as well be 'neath a tombstoneAs live in confusion and riot.This life we all know is a short one,While some tongues are long, heaven knows,And a miserable life is a husband'sWho numbers his wife with his foes;I'll stay at home now like a true man,Oh, my wife is a most knowing woman. Stephen C. Foster


Oh! Susanna 1 I came from Alabama2 wid my ban jo on my knee,3 I'm g'wan to Louisiana,4 My true love for to see,6 It raind all night the day I left7 The weather it was dry,8 The sun so hot I frose to death9 Susanna dont you cry. 10 [Chorus] Oh! Susanna Oh! dont you cry for me11 I've come from Alabama wid mi ban jo on my knee. 12 [Solo] I jumped aboard de telegraph,13 And trabbelled down de riber,14 De Lectric fluid magnified,15 And Killed five Hundred Nigger16 De bullgine buste, de horse run off,17 I realy thought I'd die;18 I shut my eyes to hold my breath,19 Susana, dont you cry. 20 [Chorus] Oh! Susana Oh! dont you cry for me21 I've come from Alabama wid mi ban jo on my knee. 22 [Solo] I had a dream de odder night,23 When ebery ting was still;24 I thought I saw Susana,25 A coming down de hill.26 The buckwheat cake war in her mouth,27 The tear was in her eye,28 Says I, im coming from de South,29 Susana, dont you cry. 30 [Chorus] Oh! Susana Oh! dont you cry for me31 I've come from Alabama wid mi ban jo on my knee. 32 [Solo] I soon will be in New Orleans,33 And den I'll look all round,34 And when I find Susana,


35 I'll fall upon the ground.36 But if I do not find her,37 Dis darkie 'l surely die,38 And when I'm dead and buried,39 Susana, dont you cry. 40 [Chorus] Oh! Susana Oh! dont you cry for me41 I've come from Alabama wid mi ban jo on my knee. Stephen C. Foster


Old Black Joe 1 Gone are the days when my heart was young and gay,2 Gone are my friends from the cotton fields away,3 Gone from the earth to a better land I know,4 I hear their gentle voices calling 'Old Black Joe.' 5 [Chorus] I'm coming, I'm coming, for my head is bending low:6 I hear those gentle voices calling, 'Old Black Joe.' 7 [Solo] Why do I weep when my heart should feel no pain8 Why do I sigh that my friends come not again,9 Grieving for forms Now departed long a go?10 I hear their gentle voices calling 'Old Black Joe.' 11 [Chorus] I'm coming, I'm coming, for my head is bending low:12 I hear those gentle voices calling, 'Old Black Joe.' 13 [Solo] Where are the hearts once so happy and so free?14 The children so dear that I held upon my knee,15 Gone to the shore where my soul has longed to go.16 I hear their gentle voices calling 'Old Black Joe.' 17 [Chorus] I'm coming, I'm coming, for my head is bending low:18 I hear those gentle voices calling, 'Old Black Joe.' Stephen C. Foster


Old Dog Tray THE morn of life is past,And ev'ning comes at last;It brings me a dream of a once happy day,Of merry forms I've seenUpon the village green,Sporting with my old dog Tray.Chorus: Old dog Tray's ever faithful; Grief cannot drive him away; He's gentle,he is kind, I'll never, never find A better friend than old dog Tray. The forms I called my ownHave vanish'd one by one,The lov'd ones, the dear ones have all pass'd away;Their happy smiles have flown,Their gentle voices gone,I've nothing left but old dog Tray.Chorus. When thoughts recall the past,His eyes are on me cast,I know that he feels what my breaking heart would say;Although he cannot speak,I'll vainly, vainly seekA better friend than old dog Tray.Chorus. Stephen C. Foster


Old Folks At Home 1 Way down upon de Swanee ribber,2 Far, far away,3 Dere's wha my heart is turning ebber,4 Dere's wha de old folks stay.5 All up and down de whole creation,6 Sadly I roam,7 Still longing for de old plantation,8 And for de old folks at home. 9 [Chorus] All de world am sad and dreary,10 Ebry where I roam,11 Oh! darkeys how my heart grows weary,12 Far from de old folks at home. 13 [Solo] All round de little farm I wandered14 When I was young,15 Den many happy days I squandered,16 Many de songs I sung.17 When I was playing wid my brudder18 Happy was I --.19 Oh! take me to my kind old mudder,20 Dere let me live and die. 21 [Chorus] All de world am sad and dreary,22 Ebry where I roam,23 Oh! darkeys how my heart grows weary,24 Far from de old folks at home. 25 One little hut among de bushes,26 One dat I love,27 Still sadly to my mem'ry rushes,28 No matter where I rove29 When will I see de bees a humming30 All round de comb?31 When will I hear de banjo tumming32 Down in my good old home? 33 [Chorus] All de world am sad and dreary,34 Ebry where I roam,


35 Oh! darkeys how my heart grows weary,36 Far from de old folks at home Stephen C. Foster


Ring Ring The Banjo De time is nebber dreary if de darkey nebber groans;De ladies nebber weary wid de rattle of de bones:Den come again Susanna by de gaslight ob de moon;We'll tum de old Piano when de banjo's out ob tune. Chorus: Ring, ring de banjo! I like dat good old song,Come again my true lub, Oh! wha you been so long? Stephen C. Foster


The Glendy Burk DeGlendy Burkis mighty fast boat,Wid a mighty fast captain too;He sits up dah on de hurricane roofAnd he keeps his eye on de crew.I can't stay here, for dey work too hard;I'm bound to leave dis town;I'll take my duds and tote 'em on my backWhen deGlendy Burkcomes down. Chorus: Ho! for Lou'siana!I'm bound to leave dis town;I'll take my duds and tote 'em on my backWhen de Glendy Burk comes down. DeGlendy Burkhas a funny old crewAnd dey sing de boatman's song,Dey burn de pitch and de pine knot too,For to shove de boat along.De smoke goes up and de ingine roarsAnd de wheel goes round and round,So fair you well! for I'll take a little rideWhen deGlendy Burkcomes down. Chorus I'll work all night in de wind and storm,I'll work all day in de rain,


'Till I find myself on de levydockIn New Orleans again.Dey make me mow in de hay field hereAnd knock my head wid de flail,I'll go wha dey work wid de sugar and de caneAnd roll on de cotten bale. Chorus My lady love is as pretty as a pink,I'll meet her on de wayI'll take her back to de sunny old southAnd day I'll make her staySo don't you fret my honey dear,Oh! don't you fret, Miss BrownI'll take you back 'fore de middle of de weekWhen deGlendy Burkcomes down. Chorus Stephen C. Foster


stephen c. foster - poems -

Documents